Photography News

 

14–17 January 2026 • Novotel London West, Hammersmith

Trade Show 15–17 January – FREE ENTRY

The UK’s most exciting photography Convention is back — bigger, bolder and packed with more inspiration, education and industry powerhouses than ever before.

 

The 2026 London Photo Convention & Trade Show brings thousands of photographers together under one roof for four days of hands-on learning, live demos, exclusive deals, and world-class speakers. If you’re serious about your photography — this is where you need to be.

FREE Trade Show: 15–17 January — Meet the Biggest Brands in Photography

Get ready for three electric days on the Trade Show floor, with leading camera and lighting brands showcasing their latest kit. Expect:

• Hands-on access to the newest cameras & lenses
• Live demonstrations from top pros
• Expert advice from manufacturers
• Show-only offers and exclusive discounts
• Retailers showcasing must-have accessories

Whether you're upgrading, testing, comparing or just curious — the Trade Show is 100% free to attend and absolutely packed.

 

 

Over 200 Hours of Training with Masterclasses & Superclasses

If you're hungry to learn, the Convention’s education programme is unmatched.

Masterclasses

Dive into a huge lineup of practical, inspiring and business-boosting sessions covering:

• Portraits • Weddings • Lighting
• Wildlife • Macro • Post-production
• Creative storytelling • Branding
• Business growth for photographers

Top photographers, award-winning educators and industry leaders share the techniques and insights that elevate your photography fast.

Superclasses

Want hands-on training with the best in the business?

The Superclasses deliver small-group, practical workshops with some of the most respected names in the industry. Limited spaces — these sell out fast every single year.

 

 

The Photography Event You Simply Can’t Afford to Miss

If you want to improve your skills, grow your business, network with other creatives and immerse yourself in the world of photography — this is your event.

 

Join thousands of photographers for the ultimate start to 2026. 14–17 January • London Trade Show FREE Masterclass Passes & Superclasses available now

 

Book your tickets now!

 

Photography isn’t being replaced by algorithms, but by its own predictability. Spend a day watching how most professionals shoot, and you’ll see the real issue: automation isn’t coming—it’s already in their hands. Even the safest niches are already changing because curiosity has been replaced by habit. Photography doesn’t need protection from the future; it needs a clear look at what it has already turned into.

[ Read More ]

Not so long ago, a 40mm prime lens was an uncommon sight. When selecting a standard focal length prime lens, the choice was 35mm or 50mm. So why are we seeing so many 40mm primes now? And more importantly, why would we need one?

[ Read More ]

 

The intent of this small zoom lens seems very clear, that is, a compact form factor that is ideal for travelling light, yet with no compromise on image quality. It sits well on the new compact Fujifilm X-T30 III camera body, offering a very significant move upwards from smartphones. Versatility in a compact form. Aiming at beginners, although obviously perfectly usable as a compact alternative for more experienced photographers and videographers,  it all looks the part but will the lens deliver the quality that it aspires to? We couple it up with the 26.1MP X-T30 III to test its mettle and find out.

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Handling and Features

The lens is indeed very light, weighing in at just 125g, measured without caps. No hood is provided, but the 49mm filter thread affords the means to attach one if desired. This is always a good idea, not only to protect from flare but also to add some protection against impact to the front of the lens. 

It is physically small, especially when retracted for carrying or storage,  measuring 61.9mm x 37.5mm. If we forget to extend the lens ready for use, the camera will display a message to remind us. Set at 13mm, the measurements are 61.9mm x 55.6mm. Set to 33mm, this becomes 61.9mm x 57.2mm, still extremely compact.

 

 

13-33mm is on the face of it, an unusual choice of focal lengths, but makes perfect sense when we see the “35mm-format equivalent” becomes 20-50mm. In terms of field of view, this is an ultra-wide to standard lens.

There are a few controls, just the manual focus ring followed by the wider zoom ring. Focal lengths of 13mm, 16mm, 23mm and 33mm are clearly marked and are close to the actual values. The Fuji X mount is plastic, which is fine with such a light lens and should be expected to give good service. The fit is certainly smooth and positive.

AF is fast, accurate and virtually silent. Focusing is down to 20cm, giving a maximum magnification of 0.25x (1:4) at 33mm. This is usefully close, not quite to macro distances but nonetheless very practical and versatile. It is also useful that the closest focusing is available at the longest focal length, allowing more space for lighting and also ensuring the front element is not almost touching the subject.

 

 

Optical construction is 10 elements in 9 groups, including 4 Aspherical and 3 ED (Extra Low Dispersion). The lens diagram on the Fuji website seems to indicate that in reality, this is 3 aspherical, 2 ED and one Aspherical ED. Pedantry aside, the important thing is how this relates to image quality, and we shall see the details of this below. To aid bokeh, there are 9 blades to the diaphragm, helping to create a rounded aperture opening.

One missing feature is WR (Weather Resistance), which is a pity, but this is a low cost XC lens and that is part of the trade off against cost. There is a shake reduction in the form of optical OIS, and the quoted benefit is 4 stops. This is not as spectacular as some, but still very useful. One interesting point, found out by this reviewer the hard way, is that the instruction book tells us to switch OIS off when using a tripod. Very often with newer cameras/lenses, this makes no difference whatsoever, but in this case they really mean it. Having shot all the resolution shots once, it was obvious that it all had to be done again with OIS switched off.

Having learned that reading and believing the instructions might be a Good Idea, in all other respects, the time spent with this lens was extremely enjoyable and totally hazard free. It works exactly as expected, reliably and smoothly. Now let's see how this translates into the technical performance.

 

 

Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR Performance

At 13mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/3.5 right through to f/11, very good at f/16 and just fair at f/22 as diffraction really bites. The edges are less sharp, but still very good from f/3.5 to f/5.6, good at f/8 and f/11 and fair at f/16 and f/22.

At 16mm, central sharpness is outstanding from f/3.9 to f/8, excellent at f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges lag behind, but are good at f/3.9, very good from f/4.5 to f/8, good at f/11 and fair at f/16 and f/22.

At 33mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/6.3 to f/11, very good at f/16 and fair at f/22. The edges are good at f/6.3, very good at f/8 and f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22. 

The performance is geared very much towards the centre of the field, but if middle apertures are used, then there is plenty of sharpness centre to edge and images look crisp.

Distortion is almost perfectly rectilinear, measuring just -0.84% barrel at 13mm, -0.26% barrel at 16mm and -0.12% barrel at 50mm. It is almost certain that this is achieved by using the camera and lens in combination and applying suitable correction, but what matters is the end result and the end result is very impressive.

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a X-T30 III body using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA is very well controlled, especially at the centre. There is a bit of a peak at the edges, wide open at 33mm, but otherwise it is unlikely that further correction will be needed.

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a X-T30 III body using Imatest.

 

Bokeh is pleasant, very acceptable but not exceptional. Busy backgrounds could perhaps be rendered a bit more smoothly than they are. For some subjects, this may not matter too much.

Flare is minimal, even with bright light sources in frame, despite the lack of a hood. 

Vignetting is impressively low and visually not intrusive. At 33mm, it is close to zero.

 

Aperture 13mm 16mm 33mm f/3.5 -0.9     f/3.9   -1.2   f/4 -0.9     f/4.5   -1.1   f/5.6 -0.7 -1   f/6.3     -0.3 f/8 -0.6 -1 -0.3 f/11 -0.6 -1 -0.3 f/16 -0.6 -0.9 -0.3 f/22 -0.5 -0.9 -0.3

 

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS|Fujifilm+Fujinon+XC+13-33mm+f/3.5-6.3+OIS[/AMUK] lens is priced at £329, which is excellent value. If bought as part of the X-T30 III camera kit (£999), then the effective price for the lens is just £170, an absolute bargain.

There is no direct alternative for Fuji X mount, but a number of prime lenses do exist, mostly fast optics with much higher price tags. A few stand out as a means of establishing the price point:

• [AMUK]Fujifilm XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ|Fujifilm+XC+15-45mm+f/3.5-5.6+OIS+PZ[/AMUK], £239
• [AMUK]Fujifilm XC 35mm f/2|Fujifilm+XC+35mm+f/2[/AMUK], £159
• [AMUK]Laowa Argus 33mm f/0.95 CF APO|Laowa+Argus+33mm+f/0.95+CF+APO[/AMUK], £439
• [AMUK]Samyang AF 12mm f/2|Samyang+AF+12mm+f/2[/AMUK], £339

The new lens is pitched at a very fair price, and becomes a no-brainer, a real bargain when included with the X-T30 III body.

 

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Verdict

If we want or need to travel light, but without compromising on quality, then the Fujifilm XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS lens could be just perfect for the job. It is light, compact, fast and reliable in operation, easy to handle, and stretches the wide end of the zoom range to a very useful 13mm (20mm equivalent). OK, it's not perfect, edge sharpness does lag behind central sharpness. Even so, this is partly because the centre is pretty much universally excellent or even outstanding, so what might be considered a very high edge performance is somewhat eclipsed. Overall, images look crisp edge to edge, so in the real world where we are not constantly pixel-peeping, it is very satisfactory.

Probably the biggest negative for me is the lack of weather resistance, but then those who are routinely shooting images in sunnier climes than the UK will probably not see that as a problem.

Considering the aim of the X-T30 III with this new lens is a beginner's kit, then  it is hard to find fault with this super little lens, which as a result is Highly Recommended.

 

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Pros

• Excellent to outstanding central sharpness
• Very low CA
• Modest vignetting
• Close focusing
• 4 stops OIS
• Low distortion
• Keenly priced
• Compact and light

Fujifilm Fujinon XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS Cons

• No weather resistance
• No hood provided as standard

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4|R_handling=5|R_performance=4|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Highly Recommended – A versatile, compact ultra-wide to standard zoom that performs well at a very keen price level.|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

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Anthropics Technology is giving ePHOTOzine members the chance to save on the new PortraitPro 24.

Enhance your portrait work for pro-style portraits with new features:

 

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• New gender and age detector
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Improved Workflow:

• Seamlessly switch between faces in group shots.
• Effortlessly share presets.
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Shop Now

 

You've got $1,000 saved. You're on B&H, late at night, your credit card within arm's reach. Your cart has that shiny new f/1.4 prime lens sitting in it. You know the one. You've watched 10 YouTube reviews. You've pixel-peeped the sample images. You can already imagine the creamy bokeh, the low-light performance, the look it will give your photos. That characteristic rendering everyone talks about in the forums. You are one click away from that hit of dopamine, that feeling of a fresh start, the promise that this piece of glass will finally unlock your creative potential.

[ Read More ]

If you spend hours in Lightroom Classic, every extra click adds up. Tightening your workflow means more time out shooting and less time stuck at a desk.

[ Read More ]

Nailing a dramatic close-up in the studio and then watching it fall apart the second you zoom out to a full-length frame is frustrating. You get harsh falloff on the legs, dead backgrounds, and a look that feels accidental instead of controlled. Here's how to fix that.

[ Read More ]

Choosing a standard zoom in the $1,300 range quietly decides how your everyday kit feels in your hand and how long you can stay fresh on a long shoot. When you put a compact 24–50mm against a heavier 24–70mm, you are really choosing how you want to move, react, and work.

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Usage fees are one of the easiest ways to undercharge on commercial jobs without realizing it. When a small local client pays the same rate for images as a national brand running a big campaign, you leave serious money on the table and take on huge responsibility for a fraction of its value.

[ Read More ]

Flat-looking images usually are not about the camera or lens at all. They come from choices about light, contrast, and viewpoint that quietly cancel any sense of depth.

[ Read More ]

Photo by Joshua Waller

Working with just one light, or indeed natural light at dusk, is a great way to create moody portraits that can be full of character. It's a perfect technique for shooting subjects who are a little older as low light can really exaggerate lines and wrinkles but don't let this put you off photographing low light portraits of younger members of your family. Shots of kids converted to black and white or shots of women in candlelight can be really atmospheric. Just remember to have your tripod to hand as you'll be using long exposure you won't be able to hand-held without it looking like you took your shot in the middle of an earthquake.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

If I need to use a light, which kind should I go for?

When it comes to picking a light source a studio flash is always an option but if you're working from home try using a torch, light from a window or a table lamp to add a little light to your scene. If you find the light's a little too harsh, try moving your subject further away from it or if you're using a window, diffuse the light with material such as muslin or parchment paper. If you're using flash try fitting a softbox or use barn doors to direct the light to where you want it to be.

Having the light to one side of your subject will mean one side of their face will be really bright while the other's hidden in shadow. For something less dramatic use a reflector to bounce light into your shot, adding detail where it was originally lost. If you want to add more light move the reflector closer to your subject and experiment with different reflector shades to change the colour balance of the light. To create really strong shadows try positioning your light source under your subject. Just be warned that this won't work with everyone!

One final note: Don't take your exposure reading from the dark part of your set-up as this will cause the lighter parts of the image to appear overexposed.
 

Photo by Joshua Waller

   

If you thought the first batch of weird lenses was strange, buckle up. The history of photography is deeper and weirder than anyone gives it credit for, and manufacturers have tried some truly bonkers ideas in pursuit of solving problems both real and imagined. Some of these experiments were brilliant engineering achievements that the market simply wasn't ready for. Others were solutions so specific they could only ever appeal to a handful of users. And one of them literally reinvented what a camera lens even is.

[ Read More ]

The times when you had to buy a new camera to take your photography to the next level are long gone. Cameras haven't been a limiting factor for most genres of photography for many years now. Other types of equipment are much more critical.

[ Read More ]

Canon’s new RF 85mm f/1.4 portrait lens sits right between the compact f/2 option and the huge f/1.2 flagship. If you care about how your RF setup balances on a gimbal, how clean your files look at wide apertures, and whether a lens really earns a premium price, this one deserves attention.

[ Read More ]

 

High ISO noise is still one of the toughest challenges for photographers, even with today’s advanced sensors. Concert shooters, wildlife photographers, street artists, and event professionals often return with images full of grain, color speckling, and smudged detail, issues no camera can fully eliminate. 

Aiarty Image Enhancer tackles these challenges with a powerful suite of AI tools, combining smart denoising with deblurring, upscaling, color correction, and photo restoration, all while preserving natural texture, tonal depth, and fine detail in every image. Built as a desktop application running fully offline, Aiarty provides a reliable, privacy-safe workflow that caters to photographers who expect exceptional detail preservation.

 

Limited-Time Offer: Lifetime License at 49% Off

The AI photo enhancer is available at 49% off during the time-limited holiday deals. The license works on up to three computers (Windows or macOS), includes future updates, and avoids recurring subscription fees. Grab a lifetime license with the year’s biggest saving!

 

Clean High-ISO Shots with Fine Details

Noise continues to challenge photographers working in low-light, indoor, or fast-action situations, where even high-end cameras struggle to maintain clarity. Aiarty Image Enhancer’s Smart Denoise engine is designed to reduce unwanted grain while preserving natural detail and tonal depth. 

With the latest V3.5 update, the new Strength slider gives users precise control over denoising intensity, letting them retain a subtle, natural grain or achieve a cleaner, more polished look according to their artistic preference.

The result is denoising that retains:

• Authentic skin and facial textures without appearing over-smoothed
• Depth and nuance in shadowed or low-light areas
• Subtle details in hair, fur, fabrics, and intricate surfaces
• Smooth, natural gradients without blotches or artifacts

 

 

Sharpen Soft or Slightly Missed Shots Naturally

Even slight focus errors, motion blur, or minor camera shake lead to blurry shots. Aiarty’s AI deblurring technology intelligently restores clarity and fine detail while avoiding halos or harsh sharpening, preserving natural textures and micro-contrast. The result makes handheld portraits, low-light interiors, and fast-moving subjects look sharp and ready for professional use.

 

 

Upscale Photos 4K and Higher without Losing Quality

Aiarty’s AI upscaler enlarges images while maintaining sharpness and detail, supporting workflows from 2× up to 8× and resolutions as high as 32K. For many photographers, modest upscaling, such as 2× upscaling, is sufficient to enhance prints, crops, or web delivery without compromising quality. The AI photo enhancer reconstructs textures rather than simply stretching pixels, ensuring results remain crisp and realistic even at higher resolutions.

 

  Restore Old Photos with Natural Detail and Color

Restoring old or damaged photos has never been easier. Aiarty’s AI face refinement enhances clarity while preserving identity and expression. Complementing this, the new V3.5 Color Correction allows precise adjustments to exposure, highlights, saturation, and overall tonality. Together, these tools provide a seamless workflow to restore both detail and color in archival, portrait, or everyday images.

 

 

All these tools are complemented by five dedicated AI models, letting photographers select the optimal approach for different subjects and shooting conditions. RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, almost all photo files are supported, and batch processing allows large sets of images to be handled efficiently.

Aiarty Image Enhancer offers photographers a complete enhancement AI toolkit to restore clarity and detail from photos affected by high-ISO noise, focus blur, low resolution, and more. With the current 49% off Lifetime License holiday deal, photographers can secure permanent access to Aiarty’s full toolset at the lowest price ever. Take advantage today and elevate your images with professional-quality enhancement, all offline and hassle-free.

 

Have you ever wondered why some photographs stand out more than others? Let’s explore advanced compositional techniques that can elevate photography from simple practices to more artistic expressions. By carefully composing, you can also develop your own style and narrative through various methods. The techniques discussed aim to inspire a deeper understanding of visual storytelling in photography.

[ Read More ]

Deciding whether to buy a Canon EOS R5 in 2025 means weighing a five-year-old body against newer releases while still needing high-end image quality and strong video performance. Can it still compete?

[ Read More ]

If you want a compact cinema body that can shoot serious 6K while still fitting in a travel bag, the Nikon ZR hits a very specific need. It lets you rethink whether you actually need something like a more expensive cinema camera once you factor in raw codecs, audio, and how easily it fits around everything else you already carry.

[ Read More ]

As a landscape photographer, wide-angle and ultra wide lenses simply cannot be ignored.

The most common error made when using wide-angle lenses is simply using them solely for their wide-angle, by just trying to get everything into the shot. The resulting picture often simply has too much in it, and the subject is just lost in amongst everything else. Really, you should consider a wide-angle lens not as a way to get more into the picture, but as a way of emphasising foreground detail and perspective.

  Think about your viewpoint

In use, in a landscape situation, select your viewpoint carefully, as well as your foreground detail, and if possible, ensure that foreground element relates directly to the landscape and has a degree of shape harmony with the picture. If, for example, you choose a rock near the side of a lake on a calm day with reflections, ensure the rock is positioned to fit into the shape of the reflections. The benefit of working closely to your foreground subject is that repositioning the camera by only a few inches can make huge changes to the composition and visual balance of your photos. Roads, paths, walls, in fact, all lead-lines become powerful and dramatic, but make sure they are supporting the main subject of your photo rather than simply becoming the subject in themselves.

 

Photos By John Gravett. 

Remember - wider lenses give a greater depth of field

While front-to-back depth of field is useful in wide angle landscapes, it's important to remember that as an ultra wide-angle lens has an inherently greater depth of field than standard lenses, really small apertures might not always be necessary. Often f/11 or f/16 will give front to back sharpness without having to revert to f/22, where many ultra wides may suffer slightly from diffraction.

The same extensive depth of field can often affect choice of graduated filters to use. With longer focal length lenses, hard-edged grads work but when used with an ultrawide lens, they often show a distinct line where they are used, so usually, a soft-edged grad is a better choice, particularly for the stronger ones.

Wide-angles are so often prone to over-use, but used properly and with care, can produce truly amazing, powerful pictures.
 

Article by John Gravett of Lakeland Photographic Holidays - www.lakelandphotohols.com